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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28436340">A Post War Dream</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManlyQuail/pseuds/ManlyQuail'>ManlyQuail</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Million Times, A Million Lives [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Military, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - War, Amputation, Angst and Humor, Dreamsharing, F/F, Falling In Love, First Meetings, Fluff and Angst, Injury Recovery, Nurse Blake, Plans For The Future, Post-War, Soldier Yang, Trauma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:40:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,337</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28436340</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManlyQuail/pseuds/ManlyQuail</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sargent Yang Xiao Long is injured in the line of duty and wakes up weeks later in a hospital having undergone a major surgery. During her recovery she has to come to terms with the drastic lifestyle changes that this surgery will result in, but the nurse working with her somehow makes the entire process feel easy. Nurse Belladonna cares for her hand and foot as one of the last patients from the war, and unspoken feelings begin to develop between the two as they share dreams of their futures now that the war is over.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Million Times, A Million Lives [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2061915</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>76</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Post War Dream</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Torrential downpour made visibility and hearing almost impossible for the soldiers rushing through the muddied trenches in an attempt to get where they needed to be. Around them thunder and weapon fire mixed into a cacophony of deafening sounds, while incomprehensible shouting could be heard in all directions. Barking of orders, shouts of panic and pain, calls and requests for medical aid, all the voices swirled together in a disorienting assault on the senses. One soldier, blocking out the endless sea of sounds, rushed towards her post near the front lines.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With blonde hair, grown out just past her shoulders, Sergeant Yang Xiao Long’s boots splashed through the mud beneath her. Her rifle in hand, she’d received orders to take a position near the front lines, using her scoped vision she was to observe the so-called </span>
  <em>
    <span>No-Man’s Land</span>
  </em>
  <span> between the two armies front lines, an enormous area of devastated terrain filled with craters and barbed wire. With the conditions as they were, there was a growing concern that the opposing forces may use the cover of rain and darkness in order to perform a sneak attack on their troops, and it would be her job as well as several other soldiers under her command making their way to the front to ensure that no such attack was carried out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Several wooden steps had been pressed against the front most trenches, allowing soldiers just enough height to lift their weapons over the steadily melting walls of the trenches and glance out across the battlefield. Climbing up one such step, Yang slung her rifle up, and using the dirt to steady her aim glanced through her scope and quickly began to survey the area.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On both sides gun fire was spraying blindly out across the field, neither side capable of seeing more than a few yards from their positions, but suppressing the other side would prevent either from attempting to make their way across the dead zone between them. With her specialized skills as a sniper, Yang wasted no such ammunition in the hopes of simply scaring off her opponents. If she was firing a shot, it was into a target she knew was there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It seemed that, despite the concern for her superiors, there seemed to be no enemy soldiers making their way across the battlefield. Her slow scan showed no obvious soldiers at first glance, and even second and third looks seemed to indicate that the other side had no intention of making a move in these conditions. It was then that her heart sank.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As a sniper you learn to recognize the muzzle flashes of different types of weapons. You can generally tell in what direction a shot is being fired, and the type of weapon that fired the shot. In nearly all cases, bullets weren’t fired towards a sniper unless it was from another sniper, a case Yang had realized was happening at that moment. It was a tiny flash, a small glint of light amongst the numerous flashes from other weapons and lightning above, but that tiny flash was enough for Yang’s world to slow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Immediately she did her best to move, her mind working faster than her body as it instantly processed that a rival sniper had spotted her, lined up their shot, and let a single shot spin towards her. However, as slow as the moment seemed to feel, her body was equally slow as she felt the bullet tear through her flesh. Her forearm, which had been resting on the mud in order to stabilize her grip on the trigger, was ripped through with ease as the bullet penetrated deep into her upper arm. The surge of pain cause her to reel, letting go of her weapon and clutching the injuries as she fell back from the stand and splashed into the muddy terrain below. Her screeches of pain were buried beneath endless other sounds, but her condition was obvious to anyone that could see her. In no time at all fellow soldiers had descended on her position, shouting in all directions for medical attention. In all that was going on, Yang’s screams began to fade, and soon she lost consciousness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A bright and fuzzy world came into view as Yang’s eyes opened slowly. Her senses were dulled, her memory hazy, as she blinked herself awake. The light coming from tall windows blinded her instantly, and she winced slightly as her vision adjusted. Tilting her head slowly, she could see that she was in a white sheeted bed, several tubes and wires coming from beneath the left side of her sheets attached to several machines monitoring her vitals and delivering her a cocktail of medications. Her head felt heavy, and simply moving it side to side was more of a chore than she’d expected, but as she rolled it slowly to the other side she could see a woman in a white gown with an enormous red plus in the center of the chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was pretty, with lengths of raven hair flowing down to her back, and as she turned towards Yang in surprise her own violet eyes met the golden eyes of her nurse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you an angel?” It was a cheesy line, once she’d seen spoken in movies by those waking from unconsciousness to beautiful individuals, and something about her current condition had entirely shut off her inhibitions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, no.” Chuckling mostly in surprise, the nurse’s smile quickly faded as she pursed her lips looking down at Yang. “If you don’t mind me asking, before we proceed any further, what exactly do you remember?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uhh…” Furrowing her brow, still avoiding too much movement due to how heavy her body felt, Yang turned her gaze towards the ceiling and did her best to remember what had happened before she’d passed out. The drugs in her system were making deep thought a difficult task, but as she focused harder and harder she remembered a storm. It felt as if it was the previous day, as if she was reliving her steps one at a time. “It was raining...I had orders to use my rifle to scan the field to make sure nobody was sneaking across. There was a flash and then…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting out a groan, Yang recalled that she’d been shot through the arm. If it wasn’t for the medication dulling her senses, she imagined she’d still be in tremendous pain, and she wondered how bad a state she was in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now wait, before you move too much, I warn you-” The nurse lifted her hands, doing her best to keep Yang from moving around, but the girl’s gaze had fallen to the right side of her sheets. She’d attempted to sit herself up, wanting to pull the covers away to look at her injury, but pushing up with as much strength as she could muster on her left side she found no such success on her right. Her mind began to fill with thoughts, the first of which wondering if this was simply a side effect of the drugs in her system, when darker and darker thoughts began to cloud her thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Show me.” Realizing she didn’t have the strength or capability to lift herself far enough to remove the sheets, Yang glared up at the nurse in a surprisingly sober moment. The nurse slowly nodded her head, her own brow furrowing in concern as she placed the clipboard she’d been holding to the side and bent over to remove the covers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yang watched as inch by inch her body revealed itself. Starting at her shoulder, the sheets inched their way off of her body, following down her arm and then-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the nurse continued to move the sheets, there was an abrupt ending to her arm. A rounded edge wrapped in bandages was all that remained of her right arm, and her eyes went wide as her heart began to pound. The equipment hooked to her body began to rapidly beep, her breathing causing her to hyperventilate as she began to go into shock. All at once there was a flurry of people around her, other nurses and hospital staff watching her vitals as she felt a cold sensation flush into her left arm before fading out once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was hours before Yang woke again, now waking to the darkness of night as opposed to the light of day. This time her memory was fully functional, despite the fog filling her mind, and she tilted her head slightly towards the right as tears began to leak down her face. With as much strength as she could muster, she tried to lift her right arm once more, the covers only moving up to the point where her arm ended in a stump. She knew that her injury would likely have been serious, but in her mind all it would take would be some quick surgery to remove parts of the bullet and maybe a few stitches to have her right as rain again. For her to have lost the arm entirely…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting out a sniffle, her emotions flowing out, the sound was loud enough in the silence of the night hours to draw attention to herself. She could hear steps approaching, and in no time at all the black haired nurse who’d been standing over her before was at her side once again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So it’s really gone…” Muttering mostly to herself, Yang’s watery eyes looked to the nurse who provided a solemn nod. “What happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m afraid that by the time you arrived at the hospital it was following a great number of other injured patients. The wounds spent so long untreated that an infection had begun to spread, and the only option left to the staff was to amputate it.” Speaking slowly and softly, the nurse made sure that Yang was capable of understanding her words. Yang nodded slowly, doing her best to follow along.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long...was I out? It only felt like a day.” For an infection to have begun to spread through her body, Yang must’ve been unconscious for far longer than she’d first assumed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s been nearly two weeks since you first came into our care. I believe it may have been an additional day or two past that spent getting you here.” Yang groaned, having not realized how much time had been lost since she’d been pulled from the front lines. Letting out a sigh, she let the silence wash over her as she tried to process things. However, as she managed to fight against the debilitating effects of the drugs in her system with a great deal of focus, she realized that in these conditions silence seemed almost impossible. Tilting her head to the side, she did her best to get a glance at the neighboring beds in the ward, but to her surprise found them all neat, tidy, and empty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’s everyone else?” By the nurses description, it sounded like Yang had been in line behind a number of other injured troops, but to see so many beds empty she couldn’t help but wonder where exactly all of those troops were.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Either discharged or dead.” Following her gaze across the empty hospital beds, the nurse let out a soft sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aren’t there others?” Even if she’d been in line, surely there had been other soldiers that would follow after her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thankfully no. You, Miss Xiao Long, will be the last patient treated at this location.” With a bit of a cheerful smile, the nurse looked down to her and met her gaze. “The war is over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So we...won?” Assuming that, if their side had lost, she would not be receiving major care for her injuries, Yang mustered a small and somewhat satisfied smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you can call it that.” Frowning to herself, the nurse shook her head as she rephrased her wording. “That is to say, the other side has surrendered, and negotiations are underway to determine the full terms of their defeat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see…” Resting her head back into her pillow, Yang managed to take some solace in that fact. Her injury meant she would likely be no longer fighting in the first place, but there was relief in knowing that nobody else would be either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now that you’re conscious, some men will be arriving in the morning to provide you with official military discharge forms. From what I hear it’s an honorable discharge, and you’ve been awarded a medal for your service.” Yang had already predicted that this would be the situation, but she still nodded as the nurse filled her in on her near future. “Unfortunately, I will need to lower the doses of your painkillers to ensure that you’re in a proper state of mind for the proceedings. After they’ve left though, I can up the dose once more if you need.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright…” Trailing off, Yang took a heavy breath, and slowly shut her eyes. She could hear the nurse adjusting the equipment around her, and having used what was left of her strength to carry out the conversation she drifted off once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next morning was a hell she wasn’t prepared for. Her head was pounding, and site of the amputation felt like it was on fire. She awoke already gritting her teeth, and she let out a groan as she forced herself to sit up. It wasn’t long after that several uniformed individuals arrived with manila folders and a small case containing her medal. The discussion was brief, a pre-written statement thanking her for her service and notifying her that she’d been honorably discharged from the armed forces, before a miniature ceremony provided her with a medal in honor of her service. It was all formal, and it took all of Yang’s mental fortitude to get through it, but in no time at all the soldiers had left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Laying back in relief, the exhaustion of having sat up for so long immediately taking its toll, Yang let out a sigh of relief at the feel of the pillow against her head. Despite the duration she’d been off the pain meds, the lengthy conversations and focusing on the ceremony had helped her manage it a surprising amount.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How was it?” Shortly after the soldiers had left, the nurse that had been caring for Yang returned with a soft smile, clipboard still in hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Boring I suppose. Guess I’m out of a job.” Chuckling to herself, using any method she could to avoid thinking about the pain, Yang looked up to the nurse with a clenched grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well you’re smiling and cracking jokes, so those are all good signs.” Scribbling a few notes onto the chart, the nurse looked across to the slow drip of medications flowing into Yang’s IV. “Now, if you’d like I can resume the pain medications, though you’ll likely fall back to sleep or at the very least feel fairly fuzzy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Umm, do you suppose we could just chit chat a little instead?” With a shy smile, Yang watched as the nurse's eyebrows lifted in surprise. “I mean you did say I’m your only patient now right? Unless there’s some hot doctors back there you’d rather chat up instead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose I could stay…” The nurses cheeks flushed slightly, and she turned to look around for anything she could use for a seat. Excusing herself for a moment, she found a chair that had been sitting in the hallway and dragged it over before making herself comfortable beside the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So uhh, I’m Yang, though I’m sure you already know that Miss… Belladonna?” Squinting at the tiny nametag pinned to the nurses uniform, Yang watched as the nurse followed her gaze and nodded, adjusting the tag from its slightly off center angle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can call me Blake.” There was a brief awkward moment, each girl’s arm twitching reflexively in order to shake the hand of the other, but given the situation they instead sat there for a few moments. “Ahh, anyways, do you mind if I ask you a few questions now that you’re more coherent?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything to distract me would be welcome at this point. Fire away.” Yang watched as Blake’s eyes scanned across the clipboard in one hand, pen in the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Firstly could you describe to me your level of pain right now? You seem capable of managing it at present, but I need to know if you genuinely are capable of handling it or merely not wanting to be under the effects of the painkillers.” Glancing to the inactive drip beside Yang, Blake watched as the girl contemplated her answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose it’s a bit of both. The pain is there, but as long as I can keep my mind elsewhere it’s slowly starting to get better, or at the very least I’m getting used to it. Honestly though, given how much time has passed, I’d simply rather not doze back off again. I’ve slept enough.” Part of Yang was worried that she was still in shock about the entire situation. She’d been given many lectures and read dozens of pamphlets regarding PTSD and the effects that war could have on a person, particularly if they’re injured in the line of duty. There was a growing fear that, should she doze off again while lucid, her mind would replay the moment that resulted in the loss of her arm over and over again, so for the time being she’d do everything she could to stay awake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I suppose that’s understandable. Don’t push yourself too much though, if you need something to help with the pain don’t hesitate to ask.” Scribbling down more information on her clipboard, Blake moved on to her next question. “Now, as for your mental state, how do you feel?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Almost like you read my mind.” Yang chuckled softly as Blake raised a brow. “I was just thinking that I could still be in shock of sorts, and that the next time I doze off I’ll awake from a nightmare covered in sweat or something. I’d like to think I’m okay right now, but honestly I don’t know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A fair response.” Taking a moment of hesitation, her pen stopping in place against the paper, Blake frowned slightly and lowered the chart into her lap. “What do you hope to do next, given you’re officially no longer serving under the military?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that on the chart there?” Wondering what the question had to do with her current predicament, Yang watched as Blake gave a slow shake of her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s mostly for my own curiosity. Career soldiers that are discharged often find themselves at a loss of what to do next, having planned to stay in the military until the day they die or are capable of retirement. The mental state of some soldiers returning to civilian duty is...complicated to say the least. I just want to ensure that once you’re no longer under my care that you’ll be okay.” Blake’s expression was somewhat pained, and she avoided Yang’s gaze for a few moments with her thoughts seemingly elsewhere.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To be honest, I never planned on being a career soldier.” Smiling to herself, Yang looked up towards the ceiling and found herself lost in a small wave of nostalgia. “I only ever joined for the training and benefits, but as soon as my tour was finished I planned to move back home and start a business.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?” Tilting her head, Blake’s sorrowful expression turned to one of soft curiosity as she gazed at the blonde before her. “What sort of business?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was thinking of opening my own automotive shop, a place to work on cars, and I even planned on specializing in motorcycles. I’d started one with my pops when I was in high school, we’d spent nearly every afternoon searching scrapyards and dealers for parts to build our own custom ride together. We’d almost finished by the time basic rolled around, and he promised me to help finish it the day I got back. I told him I wanted to be there when we turned the key for the first time, and given the circumstances I think we’ll have to make a few modifications before that point.” Chuckling lightly once more, Yang did her best to deflect from the situation with a small bit of humor, but she found herself letting out a sigh as a frown began to form.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that sounds amazing.” Still smiling, Blake had let herself become lost in Yang’s telling of her dream. She loved to hear that this girl had a plan, and by the sound of it a supportive family, all waiting for her when she got home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about you?” Yang let her eyes scan over Blake, and looking over her facial features hazarded a guess that they weren’t that far apart in terms of age. “Now that the war is over, think you’ll find work as a nurse elsewhere? This place looks pretty nice, I’m sure if and when it opens to regular patients you’ll have plenty to do.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I actually think I’m going to take some time off once all the paperwork is finished.” Blake’s expression had returned to a saddened state once more, and she tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ear as her eyes fell to the floor. “I was so eager when I’d started working, knowing that with these very hands I’d be able to help save lives, but to actually be there in the thick of it…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was another lengthy span of silence between the two, Blake lost in memories as Yang looked at the pained expression on her face. On the front lines if a soldier was injured they were taken away without a second thought, transported to a location like this where their future was decided. Yang had seen numerous injuries, but her interactions with those who fell were always so minimal. Blake on the other hand would see these injured people 24 hours a day, and Yang could only imagine what she’d seen, how many lives she’d witnessed fade away despite doing everything they could to save them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What then? Do you think you’ll go back to being a nurse down the line?” Yang had shifted to her side, resting in a position where she could better look at the woman beside her without her neck becoming stiff.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve thought about perhaps finding a clinic to work at. Maybe even a smaller office where I mostly deal with small things like colds as opposed to any long term care. Honestly though? Once you’re discharged, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to even hold a needle again. It’s like you said, it feels like I’m doing okay now but what about tomorrow? The next day? What if I’m trying to give a kid their flu shot and suddenly remember all the screaming…” Blake’s eyes started to go wide in a panic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, HEY.” Doing her best to snap Blake from her sudden anxiety attack, she could see the girl’s cheeks flush with embarrassment from her behavior. “Are you okay</span>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I- Yes. I’m sorry, that was inappropriate of me.” Shaking her head, Blake stood quickly from her seat. She’d realized that somewhere along their talks she’d dropped all her formalities and opened up far more than she’d intended. Blake found she’d suddenly come to realize a great deal of things she’d hoped were buried, and did her best to turn away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once more out of reflex, Yang attempted to extend her arm outwards in order to try and hold onto Blake’s outfit and keep her from leaving. Instead, as she winced in a great deal of pain as what remained of the arm dangled hopelessly outwards, she grumbled to herself at the increasing inconvenience of her injury.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, hold on. You didn’t do anything wrong okay?” Blake had taken a step to leave, but seeing Yang struggle to move and the pain in her eyes caused her to hesitate. As Yang pleaded with her to stay, Blake glanced down the hall to the nurse’s station, and then back to her charge. The yearning look in Yang’s eyes ended up being enough to convince her, and with a calming breath she resumed her seat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” Pausing slightly, Blake wasn’t sure how to proceed, and did her best to redirect the conversation. “So automotives?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, yeah. I think I’ll take a little longer to get things started while I adjust, but I’m picturing a big garage that smells like oil and rubber, lines and lines of tools at my disposal to fix any and all vehicles that come through my doors. I want big giant letters across the front that read ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Xiao Long </span>
  </em>
  <span><em>Automotive</em>’ so everyone knows who's in charge!” Once more lost in thoughts of the dream she’d hoped to one day achieve, Yang found that in that moment she didn’t feel any pain at all. “Speaking of which, I’m going to need some employees to help me run my business aren’t I? Given the circumstances, I’ll probably need a hand or two if you’d be interested?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did…” The panic that had been lingering through Blake’s system faded away as the amputee before her asked if she could lend her a hand. “I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yang burst out in laughter, following by a choking sound as the laughter sent immense waves of pain through her system. She let out a wheeze as she did her best to calm herself, shaking her head as Blake stood in preparation to start administering more medication.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait wait, I’m okay, just got a little excited is all.” Slowly letting her chuckles fade, doing her best to keep the pain she was in from showing on her face, Yang let out one final laugh as she looked at Blake with a grin. “Joking aside, I wouldn’t hesitate to offer you a job if you wanted it. We both need to get away from what we’ve been through, and as a nurse you’ve gotta be pretty good with your hands right? I’d make a mechanic out of you in no time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Yang watched Blake seem to enter a deep state of thought, she was surprised that she was even so much as </span>
  <em>
    <span>considering</span>
  </em>
  <span> the offer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, I might take you up on that some day.” With a thoughtful expression, Blake looked to her surprised patient. “I don’t know the first thing about cars, but if there’s an open position in my future who would I be to turn it down?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not just saying that right?” Yang was still so surprised that at this point she was almost certain that Blake was messing with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How about this: The day you open up Xiao Long Automotive, you give me a call, and we’ll see how things pan out then shall we?” Blake’s expression was one of amusement, the pair living out this fantasy in the moment, imagining a day in the far future when they’ve distanced themselves from the war.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh? Is this all just a sly ploy to give me your number by any chance?” Yang has paused for a moment, her doubt that Blake was genuinely interested in working at an automotive shop, and decided that there may be ulterior motives to Blake’s offer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What!?” Blake’s mind hadn’t even considered the path Yang’s had taken, and her cheeks blushed instantly as she looked away. “No! I’m just saying that if I decide to retire as a nurse and end up needing work, well it’s just nice to have an offer is all!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The immediate way Blake had flustered at her suggestion had Yang tickled. Her own cheeks were a light shade of pink as she gave the nurse another once over, really admiring just how beautiful the woman beside her really was. If she could get such an incredible woman’s number by the time she was discharged and sent on her way, she was going to take that opportunity without hesitation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure sure, I get it.” Waggling her eyebrows a little, Yang fell back to a resting state in the bed, her back against the mattress and her eyes moving towards the ceiling. “Something about you being the nurse and me being the patient, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right.” Blake quickly seemed to latch onto Yang’s reasoning, nodding far more times than necessary in agreement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well anyways, did you have any more questions you needed to get to?” Glancing curiously over towards the clipboard still resting in Blake’s lap, Yang wondered how far she’d derailed her nurse's work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Umm…” Blinking a few times to herself, still flushed from Yang’s comment about giving her her number, Blake looked over the small stack of sheets in her hand. Flipping through the cart, she glanced to Yang with a slow shake of her head. “I think I have everything I need. Is there anything </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> need before I go to file this away?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The biggest juiciest steak you can get your hands on.” Salivating at the mere thought of food, Yang realized that a degree of her present weakened state was likely due to being fed through tubes for a few weeks. Her body had likely fallen out of the shape she’d worked so hard to get it into, and despite her dream of steak she couldn’t help but let out another grumble to herself as she lamented her situation once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m afraid we don’t have any steak on hand, but we do have lots of pudding.” Blake couldn’t help but grin at Yang’s continued enthusiasm. It was a breath of fresh air for her final patient to manage to remain so upbeat and positive despite the circumstances. Even if it was only a temporary period where she was still adjusting to the reality of her situation, where any day now she might suddenly be slammed with grief and depression, a least for now things seemed like they were going to work out just fine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would </span>
  <em>
    <span>love</span>
  </em>
  <span> some pudding, but only if you don’t mind helping me eat it.” Glancing between the bandaged remains of one arm, and then towards the other with needles and straps covering the majority of it, Yang gave a helpless grin to Blake who shrugged and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That </span>
  <em>
    <span>does</span>
  </em>
  <span> fall within my job description, so I think that can be arranged.” Part of Blake was thankful for their conversation, thankful that Yang made her feel truly accomplished in her position. After all she’d witnessed those past few weeks, it was moments like this that reminded her of why she’d dreamed of becoming a nurse in the first place. Standing from her seat, Blake dismissed herself and retrieved for Yang her cup of pudding and a spoon with which to feed her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next few weeks of care Blake was practically at Yang’s side every waking hour of the day. Yang was more than happy to find herself free from any particularly devastating nightmares, and instead had a dream of bathing in pudding that very first night. From there she couldn’t resist the urge to further tease Blake regarding their relationship and her need to keep things professional. While she never pushed the envelope further than Blake’s comfort level, jokes during sponge baths while she regained her strength and casual remarks about the forbidden romance between nurse and patient were always met with a slightly shy smile, but not once did Blake ask her to stop or state that she was uncomfortable with the sometimes less than subtle flirting. Internally a part of Blake knew that, in any other circumstances, she wouldn’t hesitate to flirt back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The weeks seemed to fly by, and before she knew it Yang had completed her physical therapy courses, was able to feed and bathe herself, and the area where the amputation had occurred healed completely, though the stump itself was lined with scars. Blake found herself surprised by the rate at which Yang adapted to her situation, and furthermore how quickly the woman recovered from her slightly atrophic state. Her appetite was insatiable, her need to rebuild the muscles she’d lost and regain the weight that had faded, all factors that drove her to a rather speedy recovery. Blake even managed to order her a steak as part of a small celebration to congratulate her on her recovery, before the day had finally come that Yang would be discharged and return to her life as a civilian.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her bags were thrown over her shoulder, her wrist sore from filling out numerous forms prior to her official release, and she felt a tiny spark of excitement to finally move towards what she’d hoped to be a brighter future.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Was part of your job walking me out the door?” Standing just outside the propped open front doors to the hospital, Yang turned to face Blake who blushed with a shake of her head after escorting her to the exit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, this was a decision I made on my own.” Smiling shyly, Blake managed to face Yang, whose own cheeks were a faded pink. Withdrawing a small slip of paper from her pocket, Blake handed it over to Yang, who slid it open in her hand. To her surprise, she found a phone number scribbled across it. “I’ll be looking forward to hear about that job offer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll be the first person I call.” Yang’s expression was soft, and for a moment the two simply gazed into one another’s eyes. There was a subtle tension between them, one that had been there during the entire course of Yang’s treatment, a tension that had built in the background and was nearing its limit. The two felt their bodies gravitating towards one another, their thoughts slowing as they leaned in towards each other, when just beyond the door there was a honking sound that caused them both to jump.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Glancing through the doorway, Yang could see a yellow car had pulled up to the sidewalk, her father sitting in the front seat and looking her way. With a wave of her arm, Yang had snapped from the small trance that she’d entered, and turned back to Blake with a smile. The other girl, cheeks still blushed, gave her a nod and bowed her head slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well Yang, it was a pleasure to look after you all this time. I guess I’ll see you around?” Blake spoke the words, but part of her felt that they weren’t true. Despite how close they’d gotten during their time together, a part of Blake knew that the feelings she felt were fleeting, feelings that would naturally develop when you spend every day growing so closer to a person. It was painful, a truth she hoped she didn’t have to accept, but as Yang gave her a slow nod and a goodbye, the doors closed between them and Yang stepped out of her life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nearly a year had passed since Yang had been discharged from her care, and Blake found her thoughts would still travel back to the last patient she’d cared for before retiring from nursing. She’d made enough money to live comfortably on her own in fairly modest conditions for the months that followed her quitting. She’d decided to take some therapeutic time to herself, and imagined going out of her way to do something cliché like travel the world or pick up some flashy new hobby to occupy her time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead, Blake found herself merely doing the things she’d always dreamed of having the free time to do: snuggling up with a warm blanket, a small cup of tea, and a new book. In her time off she’d practically turned her small home into a library with the seemingly endless number of stories that lined her walls. Occasionally she’d find herself spending time with friends, people she knew from school days or coworkers she’d met during her time as a nurse, but her single favorite way to spend time was in the peace and quiet of her own home where she could be lost in some fantasy or romantic adventure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On one particularly relaxing evening, with the window open to blow in a gentle spring breeze, Blake could hear her phone vibrate on the table beside her. She was tempted to ignore it, imagining it to be another invitation to go to some sort of bar or even one of the dozens of job offers that had been sent her way reminding her about ‘nursing positions in her area’. Still though, as she drew close to the end of the current chapter she was reading, she leaned forward and stretched across her sofa to check her messages.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her heart skipped a beat as she opened the text from a number she didn’t recognize. It was a photo with an attachment, and while normally she would chalk this up to spam and delete it immediately, the preview image she could see had something in it that looked familiar. Opening the message to view it in full, Blake’s jaw slowly opened in surprise as she looked at a photograph taken in front of an automotive shop. ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Xiao Long Automotive’</span>
  </em>
  <span> was spelled out in big bold metallic letters along the front of the building, and standing in front was a blonde she knew all too well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yang’s hair had grown out considerably since the last time she saw her, and the girl’s face was coated in oil, her uniform dirty and clearly well used. She was smiling an infectiously bright smile, and Blake couldn’t help but feel her heart rate increase, a surprising amount of excitement flowing through her body. As she scrolled down from the image, a single line of text was accompanied by an attachment at the body.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I could still use that hand if you’re willing to offer it!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, Blake couldn’t help but recall how often Yang had intentionally referenced ‘needing a hand’ while she was under her care. Opening the attachment, she couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle to herself as she found herself looking at a job application. Falling back in her seat, her head staring upwards at the ceiling as her neck rested on the back of the couch, Blake found it impossible to stop her smiling. Glancing around the room, and then back down at her phone, Blake in that moment made her decision.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a knock at her door, a door that Yang constantly found pride in when she thought to herself about how it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> door, a door she’d worked a painstaking amount to acquire. In the year and few months since she’d been discharged Yang had been relentless in her goal to relearn all the automotive skills she’d need to properly run her business with only one arm. Needless to say, it was far from an easy task, but little tricks here and there that she taught herself had her back to the skill level she’d been at prior to her injury.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Other skills had been difficult to reacquire as well, and despite her physical therapy, certain aspects of her life such as driving, cooking, cleaning, and other mundane skills still ended up being far more challenging than she’d initially expected. Still, Yang pushed herself to master all the skills she could and more, never once letting herself be defeated by her injury. It was through this perseverance that she finally found herself able to relax at least a little, sitting in the office of her shop and filling out numerous sheets of paper to ensure she’d be up and running in no time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, when she heard the knock at the door to her office, she was rather surprised by it. The shop had yet to open, and so part of her assumed that it could be her father or younger sister checking in on her. Pushing out from her desk, Yang stepped to the door, and to her surprise a face she hadn’t seen in over a year was staring back at her,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Blake!?” Yang had remembered sending off the message with the job application a little over a month prior. She’d hoped to hear back, perhaps a flirty joke or even apologetic explanation that Blake wouldn’t be taking the job but might still be willing to talk, but instead she’d heard nothing at all. Unsure if she’d simply messaged the wrong number, perhaps Blake getting a new one in the time they’d been apart, or maybe Blake had decided to just let her off easy and keep things as they were, Yang had been disappointed but quick to move on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I’m here about a position that needs filling.” Pursing her lips, Blake awkwardly extended out a small stapled together set of papers. Yang glanced down in brief confusion before she realized that the application she’d primarily sent as part of their running joke had been filled out entirely and delivered directly to her hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘“I- Wow. I didn’t think I’d ever see or hear from you again…” Yang let the papers fall to her side, her eyes gazing into the face of a woman she feared she’d never see again. Blake’s hair was considerably shorter than last she recalled, barely making it past her neck, and she began to blush as she felt Yang’s eyes looking her over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, here I am!” Blake’s mind was racing, and she suddenly felt incredibly awkward in that moment. She worried that her sudden arrival would be too much for Yang, that maybe their little inside joke should’ve been left at that, or perhaps she should’ve started by messaging the blonde woman first to let her know about her plans. As she began to talk herself into showing up being a huge mistake, her worries faded quickly as Yang reached out and pulled her into a hug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The papers in her hand became somewhat crumpled, Yang’s hug squeezing Blake as tightly as she could, even surprising herself with how thankful she was to see Blake again. She’d mistakenly assumed that when Blake never messaged her back that she’d been able to move on with ease, but seeing her in that moment brought back all the unspoken feelings that had never ceased to be with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m so happy to see you Blake…” Her eyes threatened to well with tears, but Yang did her best to remain strong as she pulled away from the hug. “So, like, how’ve you been? We need to catch up!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jogging briefly into her office, Yang tossed the application onto her desk and quickly made her way back to Blake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been well enough. Shortly after we parted ways I resigned from my position and decided to take some time off. It was mostly just a lot of me time, occasional drinks with friends but nothing special. When I got your message I was surprised that you even remembered me, and I was so happy to see you stuck to your dream and made it a reality!” Glancing around the automotive store, the building relatively clean for what it was, Blake’s eyes ended up resting on a custom yellow motorcycle resting gently against the wall. “And is that…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yup!” Leading Blake towards the vehicle, Yang planted her hand proudly on her hip as they gazed down at the beautifully painted motorcycle. The handles had been modified somewhat, Blake assumed to make it possible to even drive the thing with one arm, and she couldn’t help but place a hand on the seat. “This was basically my physical therapy round two. Using this baby I relearned everything I needed to about motorcycle care, and then expanded out to other vehicles afterwards. Now I can rightfully brag about doing the same work as everyone else with only one hand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re really going to make the most out of </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> only having one hand aren’t you?” Blake couldn’t help but chuckle at the somewhat smug expression on Yang’s face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to milk it for everything it’s worth.” Nodding confidently, Yang turned her attention back to Blake and frowned slightly. “So like, are you just staying somewhere in town or did you really move all the way here just for a job?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This is the part of the conversation Blake had been worried about. She had genuinely packed her things and moved within the past month entirely so she would be able to see Yang again, and despite the chance it would come across as crazy or impulsive, she really didn’t have much left behind in her own city to stick around for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honestly? The moment you sent your message I started to pack. Most of my job offers back home were for nursing positions, but part of me felt that that part of my life had ended the same time the war did. It was brief, but in that time I saw more than I’d ever expected to in a lifetime. That and to tell you the truth, I also just really wanted to see you again…” Blake’s eyes looked from Yang, worried that she’d come across as crazy. She wouldn’t blame the girl if she was put off by her actions, but as Yang let out a laugh she looked back to see a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I did promise you a job didn’t I? I’ll admit that it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> surprising to hear that, but in a way I’m glad you did. You helped hold me together more than I think either of us realize, and ever since I left all I could think about was all the ways that I could pay you back for going so far out of your way to make my recovery as easy as it was. If teaching you to become a mechanic and making you my first hire is what it’ll take, I’d be more than happy to oblige.” Yang couldn't hide her smile, the emotions that had built up for Blake during her time in the hospital feeling just as fresh as they had back then. “How long have you been in town then? I bet unpacking was </span>
  <em>
    <span>horrible</span>
  </em>
  <span>. If you need help I’d be happy to...help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yang paused as she realized that yet again she was about to pull out a joke that she feared had long since run its course with Blake. Awkwardly she chuckled as Blake seemed to pick up on her intentions with a raised brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually...I only just finished unloading the last of the boxes and putting away a few essentials. There was something I knew more than anything I needed to get to you as soon as I could.” Blake gave another shy look away from Yang, who raised her own eyebrow to glance back to her office.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Was getting that application to me really so important?” Yang worried that Blake felt pressed for time given how long it had been since she’d sent the initial invitation. Despite officially having the building, Yang had still spent the last several months finishing a myriad of tasks that needed done before she could really open for business.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not the application, it was actually something I’d meant to give you at the hospital before you left.” Blake’s gaze had slowly returned to Yang, who was having a difficult time understanding her implications.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did I... Did I forget something when I left?” It had been so long ago, and Yang had been such a mess when she’d arrived at the hospital she hardly remembered the belongings she’d had on hand at the time. While her mind was elsewhere, doing her best to think back, she suddenly felt a warmth as she realized Blake had taken a step closer, their bodies hardly a few inches apart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something like that…'' Leaning into Yang, Blake wasted no time in finishing what they’d started over a year ago. Their lips met, and Yang recalled their near kiss before her father had picked her up from the hospital, smiling to herself as she finally caught on. Leaning into Blake, Yang returned the kiss with equal fervor, wrapping her arm around the girl who returned the gesture. The kiss was deep, warm, and filled with over a years worth of emotions. As they pulled from the kiss, Yang chuckled slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> worth the wait.” As the two took a small step apart, Blake pursed her lips as her nerves finally took hold.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope that was...okay. You’re not seeing anyone right?” Blake had been worried that in their time apart Yang may have found another, but at the very least she’d come there with the intentions to let her feelings be known.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I mean there </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> this one girl I’d been holding out hope for.” Yang scratched her cheek awkwardly and watched as Blake visibly seemed to shrink for a moment. “She’s cute, has these beautiful golden eyes, and I think rather recently cut her hair to a nice short length that she </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> pulls off. We haven’t talked in a while but I really think if I got the chance I’d go out with her at the drop of a hat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wha- Alright, haha.” As Blake listened to Yang’s description of herself, she rolled her eyes at the roundabout teasing. It was something she’d grown so accustomed to during their time together, and up until that moment she hadn’t realized how much she’d missed it. “Well I don’t have any hats to drop, but what do you say we give it a chance anyways?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>Nothing</em> would make me happier.” With the pent up emotions still flowing out of each of them, they sealed the moment with a kiss, before Yang began the tour of their newly shared workspace and even joking that Blake wouldn't receive any special treatment just because she was dating the boss. Blake happily accepted the conditions, and the two began their newest journey together hand in hand.</span>
</p>
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